BIO
10 Items or Fewer is music by Mike Hallenbeck & co. The music soaks post-skiffle X-treme indie folk in the depths of flyover country and psychedelia– harboring lyrics about dinosaurs, mammoths, Evel Kneivel, Star Wars, a crashed Russian space station, and Planet of the Apes.
Appropriately titled “The Fossil Record”, 10 Items’ debut album began as home recording sessions back in 2002. Abandoned in slow motion in the succeeding years and resurrected during 2020 quarantine, the record uniquely blends performances across decades and purees the results into a rootsy, genre-bending, art-damaged parfait.
Based in the proverbial Twin Cities of Minneapolis- St Paul, 10 Items or Fewer has performed at venues like James Ballentine Uptown VFW Post 246, Barely Brothers Records, Bryant Lake Bowl, Dusty’s Bar, Phoenix Theater, and the Turf Club.
10 Items’ personnel have previously or currently play with Trailer Trash, Martin Zellar, The Silent Treatment, and Fathom Lane. Though the lineup rotates somewhat live, the core ensemble backing Hallenbeck (Jon Duncan, keys and accordion; Rhiannon Fiskradatatz, backup vocals; Ben Glaros, electric guitar; Keely Lane, drums; Matt Regan, bass) has shared the stage with artists like Witchhunter General, Steeplejack, and Annie Enneking (Annie and the Bang Bang). Ranging from an intimate pseudo-acoustic two-man rapid response team to a full six-member ensemble, this project can accommodate audience needs from the intimate to the rambunctious.
LATEST NEWS
—Racket Magazine includes “Is That Star Wars?” on a list of “5 great new local songs”!
—10 Items or Fewer ‘s Mike Hallenbeck appears at St Paul Songwriter Rounds, White Squirrel Bar, Sunday Feb 11th, 7 pm (accompanied by 10 Items guitarist Ben Glaros)
—Animated music video for the song “Evel Kneivel”, by filmmaker John Akre, coming soon!
—10 Items or Fewer T shirts are here! Available at gigs, and from Bandcamp soon as well.
PRESS
“On The Fossil Record, singer-songwriter Mike Hallenbeck flaunts his usual smarts, humor, and pathos.” —Keith Harris, Racket
“Mike Hallenbeck [is a] notable bald musician.” —Hedy Rand-McKay, Twin Cities Geek
VENUES LIBERATED
Aster Cafe, James Ballentine Uptown VFW Post 246, Barely Brothers Records, Bryant Lake Bowl, Dusty’s Bar, Phoenix Theater, Sociable Cider Werks, Turf Club
HAS SHARED BILLS WITH THESE ARTISTS
Annie Enneking (of Annie and the Bang Bang), Witchhunter General, MaMa Faerie, Penny and the Bandits, The Reverend Matt Kessen, Steeplejack, Jacuzzi Puma
CORE LIVE LINEUP
Jon Duncan, keys and accordion
Rhiannon Fiskradatatz, backup vocals
Ben Glaros, electric guitar
Keely Lane, drums
Matt Regan, bass